Correspondence.

possible respect and fraternal good feeling towards lawfully constituted authority ; and to avoid the possibility of being charged with a desire to " surprise , " havo thought it only courteous and proper that I should thus notify my intention . 1 havo the honour to be , Dear Sir and Brother ,

Yours fraternally , JAMES STEVENS , P . M . P . Z . You will seo by the foregoing that a far more grave and important question than that of providing District Grand Lodges for the Metro , politan Area has now arisen . The status and privileges of individual

members of the Grand Lodge are affected by this interference with the " inherent power " which the Constitutions of the Order havo conferred on the aggregate body ; and not I alone , but , I feel convinced , hundreds of tl light blues , " will resist , by all proper constitutional means , whatever may interpose between them and their

undoubted rights . I "join issue" with our respected Grand Registrar , and contend that his ruling is not in uuison with the spirit of our laws and regulations ; and I appeal from his opinion to the Craft in general , and the Grand Lodge itself in particular , to decide tbe question . That the cause of right may not suffer because it is

advanced by one of the least amongst us , I , in tbe interests of the Craft , and for those interests alone , most earnestly hope . In submitting the proposal which' has initiated this question of privilege difficulties have not been ignored , nor obstacles overlooked . Whether or not tbe idea of Metropolitan District Grand Lodges bo

" bad , or , worse than that , absurd , " is , I opine , a question for the Grand Lodge itself to determine , and , if it so pleases , to " scout and reject "; bufc to no one individual , or to a few persons , has Grand Lodge yet delegated the " inherent power " which ifc possesses under onr Ancient Constitutions .

I am , Dear Sir aud Brother , Yours fraternally , JAMES STEVENS , P . M . P . Z . Clapham , 27 th May 1882 .

We are compelled to hold over one or two matters o * interest , and crave the indulgence of our correspondents .

Freemasonry.

FREEMASONRY .

MID the mutations of all time , or changes here on earth , Freemasonry remains the same as when ifc first had birth , For Wisdom , Strength and Beanty still its supporters be , Assisted by their sisters , Faith , Hope and Charity .

It has existed from the time the world was in its youth ; Its base that attribute divine—the immortal word of Truth . The Architect who framed the globe , and measured out its span , Still gives it His protecting care , for happiness to man .

From East to West , from North to South , its mysteries are known ; Its usefulness each clime hath felt , on which the sun hath shone ; Ifc binds man to his fellow man , with all a brother ' s love ; Its precepts are the words of Him who reigneth high above .

The Craft of every age can boast the honoured of the earth , The warrior , statesman , poet , sage , the man of princely birth , The great , the good , the wise , the learned , the layman and divine , All at its fount have wisdom drank and knelt before its shrine .

Oh ! Masonry , thy fame shall last until all time is done , ' Thy mysteries , as in ages past , shall go on from sire to son . Like the fixed mountains of our earth , it shall for ever stand , A monument of goodness from the Almighty Hand .

Kings have their tortures tried in vain the Order to destroy ; Grim death in all its fearful forms its fury did employ . The rack , the gibbet , and the stake , each in its turn was tried , Bat Craftsmen still by faith sustained , in truth ' s great cause they died .

Fanaticism crossed the sea , into this western world ; Not many years have passed away since its dark flag unfurleil ; Bufc all its efforts came to naught , its fury raged in vain , For Masonry , though crushed to earth , like Truth rose up again .

And ifc shall stand , a beacon light , man through this life to gu * dc , Amid temptations , rocks and shoals , which beset on every sido . Yes ! it shall stand for ever , until Time ' s sands have run , Its truth ou earth proclaiming , good-will and peace to man . —Voice of Masonry

Bro . the Right Hon . the Lord Mayor has fixed Tuesday , the 27 th inst ., for fche annual Steward ' s visit and distribution of prizes afc the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , at Wood Green .

His Royal Highness Prince Leopold Duko of Albany , K . G ., will preside at the Anniversary Dinner of the Newspaper Press Fund , which will take place afc Willis ' s Rooms , King Street , St . James ' s , on Saturday , tho 24 th iuafc .

In our issue of the 20 th nit ., we announced that as regards the appointment of the House Committee of the Gh'ls' School , there would be no opposition to tbe return , inasmuch as three of the fifteen brethren who were

nominated withdrew in order to save the trouble of a contested election . For tbe same Committee , as regards the Boys ' School , eleven of the old members present themselves for

re-election , and there are four new candidates , viz . Bros . Edgar Bowyer , J . L . Mather , Moon , and one other , whose name we have not heard . It is anticipated there will be a sharp and exciting contest .

H . R . H the Prince of Wales , Most Worshipful Grand Master , on Thursday last inspected , at Great Yarmouth , the Artillery Militia , nnder the command of Bro . Colonel Lord Suffield . K . C . B ., Provincial Grand Master Norfolk .

The vote of congratulation to Prince Leopold , passed by the City of Westminster Lodge , at their last regular meeting ( the day of the marriage ) , having been illuminated

and inscribed on vellum , and forwarded to H . R . H . Prince Leopold , the following reply has been received by the Secretary of the Lodge : — Claremont , Esher , Surrey . 27 th May 1882 .

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I beg you will convey to the brethren of the City of Westminster Lodge , No . 1563 , the Duchess of Albany ' g aud my own cordial thanks for the address of congratulation they have sent to us . I remain , Fraternally yours , ( Signed ) LEOPOLD . P . G . W ., Prov . G . M . Oxou . To Bro . E . J . Scott .

The brethren who know anything of fche working of English Masonry must have been highly amused by the article in the Court Circular ou the progress of Freemasonry , which was elicited by Her Majesty ' s reception of the address from Grand Lodge . Trying to disprove the popular notion that a great part of the enormous funds over which Grand Lodge aud its affiliated Lodges have control is

devoted to eating and drinking , the writer of the article says that all the money collected goes for the purpose of maintaining the three great Masonio Charities , viz ., those for the Old People , the Boys , and the Girls . Every Lodge , he says , " is bound annually to contribute a portion , and a large portion too , of its funds , to the support of these excellent Institutions . The other moneys collected are , in the

great majority of cases , expended in relieving the immediate necessities of poor and destitute brethren and their families . " If the Craffc is to be championed by non-Masons , the champions should , at least , proceed upon facts . So far from all the money collected going for the purpose of maintaining the three great Masonic Charities , the

support of those Charities is entirely voluntary , and no Lodge is bound to contribute anything , except the payment of £ 1 7 s 6 d to Grand Lodge for each initiate , and Is a quarter ( London Lodges ) , and 9 d a quarter ( Country Lodges ) contributions to the Fund of Benevolence .

To brethren who have not made themselves fully acquainted with the Book of Constitutions , the report of fche Board of General Purposes affords some useful information . In that book it is" laid dowu that " every Lodge shall annually elect its Master and Treasurer by ballot , such Master having regularly served as a Warden of a warranted Lodge for one year . " One Lodge was brought before the

Board for an infringement of this rule afc its last election and installation . The Senior Warden did not desire to be elected Master , and the Lodge elected the Junior Warden . But the Junior Warden , through unavoidable circumstances , was nofc present for investiture when he was appointed , and was only invested at the following

mooting a month afterwards . Consequently he served tho office of Warden ' for eleven months only . But the brethren inadvertently overlooked the rule , and ho was unduly elected and installed as Master . The Lodge was summoned before the Board , aud the Board annulled the election , and ordered the former Master to be retained in the chair for twelve months more . —Evening News .

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DANCING .-Bro . JACQUES WYNMAN , Professor cf Dancing , Rives daily instruction in all the fashionable Dances to those who are without previous knowledge . Private lessons at any time , by appointment Families attended . Balls conducted , and first class Bands provided if desired . Assemblies every Monday and Thursday , at Eight o'Clock . PROSPECTUS OS APPIICAHOK . ACADEMY—74 NEWMAN STREET , OXFORD STREET , W .

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RHEUMATISM . rj ^ HE only real remedy for this complaint is the Northern Cure L ( patent ) , ^ n bottles Is l $ cl each , to ho had of all Chemists . Proprietors anu Manufacturers , Edwards ; and Alexander , !! 9 Blaekett-Btreet , Newcastle-ou * ly " '